Who sells the CH Champion press?

[Brian Albin]

I see Midway, Sinclair, Midsouth and Graf do not sell the CH brand presses. Can you tell me a place to get a good buy on the CH model Champion press?

CH says this press can take 1 inch dies in addition to the 7/8. I have always thought of 1-1/4 as the next larger size; is 1 inch a CH specialty, or do other brands make them?

[rcairflr]

On there website it doesn't give a link to any dealers. You may have to just contact them and see if any of their presses are sold through dealers, if not you'll have to buy directly from them.

My question is, what are you going to be reloading that you need that beefy of a press and 1 inch dies?

http://www.ch4d.com/contact-us

[Kevin Rohrer]

I'd be shocked if they sold to dealers. They are too small a company to mass-produce. I ordered my '444' from them, and they built it and called me when I could pick it up.

[Bindernut]

1"-14 is a pretty common die size for the really big cartridges. You can get them from RCBS/Huntington, CH4D, Redding, and probably a few of the other makers still offer that body size dies & blanks.

I haven't seen any 1.25" dies before.
That's the thread size that the RCBS Rock Chucker and a few other presses are threaded for if you pull out the bushing. The Rock Chucker comes standard with 7/8" but they also offer bushings for 1" dies.

The RCBS price code for their 1" dies is "X"...any X group dies are 1" body and they're a special order item. And just like CH4D's big dies, the pricetags will scare the pants off ya!


As for any C-H distributors. I'm not sure if they market anyplace besides direct marketing. Kevin is probably right in that you go straight to them.
I went directly to them when I needed parts for my old 333. They were nice friendly folks to work with too!

If you do get one of those Champion single-stage presses, I can just about guarantee that you will never wear it out or spring it out of shape...but you might get a hernia hoisting it up onto your bench! They are built hellferstout!
Unless you're looking at doing some serious case forming I doubt you'd need a press that strong.

[Brian Albin]

Originally Posted by Kevin Rohrer

They are too small a company to mass-produce. I ordered my '444' from them, and they built it and called me when I could pick it up.

I was greatly surprised to hear this. I have seen their presses advertised in the back of the gun magazines since I was a boy in the 1960s. I always thought they were a mass production company the same as the others.

I haven't seen any 1.25" dies before.
That's the thread size that the RCBS Rock Chucker and a few other presses are threaded for if you pull out the bushing.

I see. Thanks for the clarification.


I have been thinking of shortening 505 Gibbs to 2-3/4" and necking for the new Sierra Matchking 350gr 375 cal to make an extra long range paper target rifle to try to accomplish a similar bullet flight to the 50 Brownings with only half the bullet weight and half the powder charge.
I would also like to try a junior version of it by shortening the 505 to 2-1/4" and shoot the 30 caliber 210gr Matchkings & 208gr Hornadys.
These loads are inspired by Winchester saying their new 30 short mag is more accurate than their older 300 mag because while it has the same powder charge, it's shorter wider body puts more of it near the primer flash producing a more consistent burn. So with 505 being the widest rimless brass I know, those loads are what I came up with.

I also think a great Elefant cartridge for double Bbls would be the 577 2-3/4" necked to 500 and loaded with a 650gr bullet I would swedge myself. I would like to rebarrel a double and work through the regulating process. I think it would make a fun project. The 36/100 sectional density of the 650gr .510 diameter bullet would be the penetration king of Africa. The idea being to get enough density to be able to use soft nose for lung shots instead of having to use hard nose for everything.

But I am getting older and no richer, so the double rifle project shall probably never happen.
I would still like to make the extra long range target rifle.

[Kevin Rohrer]

I was greatly surprised to hear this. I have seen their presses advertised in the back of the gun magazines since I was a boy in the 1960s. I always thought they were a mass production company the same as the others.

The company has changed hands several times since Charles Hendricks owned it in Ca. The current owner is Dave Davison. The company consists of him, one machinist, and a part-time office worker (Beth). They have lots of dies and other small parts in inventory, but other than that, they are 6-months behind in special orders.

[Brian Albin]

Thanks for the information, Kevin.

[LDBennett]

I needed a sizing and seating die set for 50 DTC, the legal replacement for 50 BMG in California (50 BMG is now outlawed for sale in CA). 50 DTC is 50 BMG with the neck moved enough to be different to skirt the law. It is easily made from 50 BMG brass followed by fire forming the cases with loads adequate for some long range accurate shooting.

C&H was the only manufacturer of that die in a 1 1/2 inch die size to fit my big RCBS AmmoMaster press. I had to special order it and wait a couple of months. But they did exactly what they said they would do for a delivery date. While the wait was long, that fit my financial schedule just fine. C&H was good to deal with and I'd do it again for special needs.

LDBennett

[Kevin Rohrer]

(50 BMG is now outlawed for sale in CA)

One too many people killed w/ this round?

Kalifornia is legislating themselves out of existence.

[Brian Albin]

LDBennett, Thank you for the report on the quality of the CH company. They sound like a good outfit, if a little undermanned for the amount of work they are asked to do.

Brian

[LDBennett]

"Kalifornia" is still working on the gun laws. The recent NRA mag came with a pull out that had a list of new CA laws in the works or done. Some are stupid like forcing everyone to give up their tactical rifles with no compensation. That is unconstitutional but these stupid elected officials proceed anyway. They'll have to "take" my guns as I'll not give them up.

LDBennett